1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a symmetric surfing system having modifications and improvements necessary to provide capabilities for a new style and method of surfing, a process for creating such a system, and accessory thereto apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
The sport of surfing has existed for decades. Early surfboards were ‘longboards.’ By general description longboards were eight feet or longer, or three feet taller than the surfer in overall length. Made originally of wood, longboards provide a vast planing surface that makes them stable in water. Longboards are excellent for novices. In the early 1900's some surfboards were made of plywood and were called ‘hollowboards’. Again, these were longboards, typically 15 to 20 feet in length. Foam and fiberglass surfboards became available in the late 1950s and shortboards followed in the late 1960s.
Notably, traditional surfboards are asymmetrical, with their two ends distinctly different, making them useful for travelling in only a single direction unless the surfboard is pivoted entirely around. In such conventional systems, the front end, or nose, is the leading edge and goes forward; and the back end, or tail, is where the fins are permanently fixed in place. Thus, using a standard surfboard with two distinctly different ends, a surfer intent on changing directions must physically turn his surfboard 360-degrees in order to bring the nose of the board around and into the selected path of momentum. A surfer on a standard surfboard must go from a standing to a prone position and then paddle in order to effect such a change.
In the traditional surfing situations referred to above, a leash attached to the surfer typically only provides a way to keep from having to chase a surfboard after losing contact with it. In this regard, a standard surfboard typically has a leash tie at its tail for the purpose of preventing a surfer from losing his surfboard; conventionally, the other end of the leash is looped around a surfer's ankle. Typically, the leash is always slack when the surfer is with the surfboard. However, such a loose, trailing leash may cause frictional drag in the water.
As mentioned above ‘shortboards’ were developed as surfing evolved. Shortboards are somewhat akin to skateboards in the way they are ridden. The current trend is for shorter, lighter surfboards that permit fast, aggressive ‘trick’ surfing. It must also be noted that contemporary surfing encompasses both recreation and competition. Competition has made aggressive trick surfing the standard by which many of today's professional surfers are measured.